Winchester Liberal Democrats
Constituency Newsletter Christmas 2006 NEW WINCHESTER CONSTITUENCY SELECTS
PROSPECTIVE PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE
Martin Tod Over 280 Liberal Democrat newly selected members of the new Winchester Prospective constituency party queued for Parliamentary Candidate for half an hour or more outside the the Winchester Science building at Peter Constituency Symonds College, Winchester last weekend to hear the five Winchester candidates for the job of PPC. will be hard It was a lively and high quality fought at hustings, with excellent the next speeches, and searching General question and answer sessions Election, with both the media and lasting up to twenty minutes for our political opponents focusing each candidate. The voting itself preferences of the bottom three on our constituency. So we are candidates, under the delighted that we have chosen Single Transferable Vote. our new Prospective In the end, Martin Tod Parliamentary Candidate, Martin was the clear winner, but Tod. He will bring new vigour to retiring Constituency the local party and we are all Chairman Harvey Cole very excited to have someone was roundly applauded with such an excellent record at when he commented on winning against the the high standard set by Conservatives. His connections to all the candidates. Winchester go back a long way. Standing with him are His great-great-great- Sarah Carr, Justine grandfather, Dean Thomas McGuinness, Gary Garnier, features in Winchester Lawson, Sue Farrant, Museum as an "anti-muckabite" and on Harvey's left the campaigner who fought to bring was tense and very close, with successful candidate. a sewage system to Winchester the final decision resting on the in the 1860s. Martin has already attracted favourable press comment: "Martin Tod, 42, is a marketing consultant and has excellent local credentials". The Times "Locals consider him a worthy candidate to fill Mark Oaten's seat". The Times 'He'll make a very good candidate,' said Cllr Vernon- Jackson. 'He's quiet but very hard-working.' Portsmouth News. See Page 2 for Martin's first comments. very supportive: he called me structure. Why? To make sure just after the result and we've the structure works for us so we already met to plan how we can can win Winchester again. Are work most productively together you a member who finds it and make sure that Winchester difficult to spare the time to help stays Liberal Democrat at the on a regular basis? Or a member next General Election. who has not found it easy to Finally, thank you to everyone introduce yourself into the who's been so supportive to me branch where you live? both before and after the Are you a young member who selection. It will be an intensive would like to meet others of your campaign over the coming own age?
Martin Tod Writes... weeks, months and years, but I Do you want to be more I'm very pleased to have been am confident we will win. involved? selected as the candidate for I want to be able to keep you in Come and meet Martin at your Winchester at the next touch with our campaign - please local coffee morning in the election. It's a great honour, email me at Spring - details in the next especially when the other [email protected] newsletter; or leave a message candidates were such high if you'd like a weekly email about at the office and we will contact quality. I'm very grateful to the progress of the campaign. you. them and to the returning officer for such a hard-fought but New Constituency Chair A campaign team is already in friendly campaign. Jackie Porter Writes: place, but we want to set up a fund raising committee too. If It's been a hectic first week. The Our new you are interested in this please party's press officers helped us constituency contact me, Jackie Porter on get off to a very fast start: starts on the 01962 791054 email despite the Conservative 1st January [email protected]. candidate working as a spin- 2007. But doctor, we got much better who exactly is coverage than he did - on TV, in the new CONTACT US radio, the internet and in boundary? Winchester Liberal Democrats' national and local newspapers. The branches Constituency Newsletter is edited by We've also launched our first in the new Jane Rutter, tel 01962 882493. Please e-mail articles for the next online campaign website at constituency are Chandlers Ford edition (Copydate Monday 8th http://www.triptotheshops.com and Hiltingbury, Colden Common, Downlands, The January 2007) to to put pressure on the County [email protected]. Council to improve the quality of Alresfords , Worthies and Itchen To contact your constituency the constituency's streets and Valley ,Eastgate and Westgate. organisation, please call 01962 pavements - if you can, please The new constituency gives us an 622210, write to 13 City Road, visit it and sign the online opportunity to review the branch Winchester SO23 8SD or e-mail petition. Mark has also been [email protected].
Constituency Annual Dinner Over eighty members came together at the Royal Hotel, Winchester for the Annual Dinner in October. Guest speaker was Baroness Celia Thomas, a founding member of the local Winchester Liberal Party in the 1960s. From 1977 to 2005 she worked in the Liberal Democrat’s Whips Office in the House of Lords and has been head of that office for the past eight years and is an expert on procedure in the House of Lords. She is also the Chair of the Keynes Forum and a member of the Advisory Board for the Centre Forum. The dinner raised £400 for party funds. We look forward to seeing even more members enjoying our annual dinner next year, at the same place on Friday 26th October - make a note in your diaries! Seated at the dinner with Baroness Thomas (centre) are Cllr Ann Bailey and former Constituency Chair Harvey Cole. The Worthys needs more work. Input from Ward Reports the other wards would be Kings Worthy and Itchen Valley needed. Councillor Dominic Downlands started off the Members and supporters, Hiscock, chair of the campaign round of branch AGMs at Henry including many councillors and all committee, assured the meeting Beaufort School on Friday of the PPC’s, met at the Coach that St John would be getting his and Horses in Kings Worthy on committee’s attention. October 27th. A quiz followed th expertly run by Derek-in picture the 10 November 2006. The officers of the branch where All members look forward with with sheets!. Members from renewed commitment to 2007. Kings Worthy and Alresford elected by the local members as Susan Chesters, Chair joined them. A quick raffle and follows: Simon Hobson, Chair David charged £5 for each bright 01962 760469: Jackie Porter, Chandlers Ford branch yellow plate on which to place Secretary 01962 791054: Robert the ‘nibbles’ and so they raised Johnston, Treasurer 01962 joins Winchester money for the branch! 620610. Chandler's Ford Branch are going With business done the rest of to the Nuffield Theatre on Friday The next Downlands event is a th Wine and/or Apple juice tasting the evening was taken up with 12 January to see 'The Story of at The Roddy, Main Road skittles and just a bit of drinking. Cinderella'. Afterwards there is a Otterbourne, on Thursday 14th Eastgate Branch ploughman's supper and wine, December at 7.30pm. etc. at 11 Kendal Close Eastgate Branch held its AGM on Chandler's Ford. We hope that 28th November. some people from Winchester Candidates for the 2007 City will join us. The all inclusive cost Council elections were adopted: is £13.50 per head. Contact Pam the present Mayor Sue Nelmes Holden Brown on 02380 261858 will defend her seat in St if you are interested. Look Bartholomew and Susan Chesters forward to seeing some of you on will stand in St Michael. Adrian the night. Hicks will stand in the target Meon Valley ward, St John & All Saints. At the Meon Valley AGM Tom After the difficult start to the Houghton stood down and Vivian year, the branch has been active, Achwell is now the chair. The organising regular social and Meon Valley wish to give a huge fund-raising events. We have thank you to Tom for the years welcomed some hard-working that he has led the branch. new members and hope to recruit more. The branch now faces new challenges and is looking forward Cllr Robert Johnston Support networks in St Michael enjoying the bowling whilst to welcoming our new PPC when Geoff Bennetts and Cllr and St Bartholomew are sound, they have been selected on 9th David Spender look on. but St John, our target ward, December.
difference to the local community. We now face Mark Oaten Reporting Back: a new challenge. The Winchester constituency 2006 and the future for Winchester Liberal splitting in two and a Conservative party that Democrats has learnt much from our Liberal As you know when, after all our hard work, you got Democrat approach me elected to parliament in 1997, I promised to be to politics. That is more accountable than previous Winchester Members why I am very of Parliament. I am sure that you will agree that I happy to support have fulfilled that promise; through producing an Martin Tod, our annual report over this time and being in Winchester new PPC and I am when constituents required. sure that you will Through all that has occurred in 2006 I have do as much as is continued to work hard for the local people in needed to ensure Winchester and the Meon Valley that re-elected me in Winchester May 2005 and will continue to do so up until the next continues to have a general election. Liberal Democrat By the time of the next general election I will have MP after the next served 12 years as an MP. It has been a great general election. privilege to represent such a wonderful part of Mark Oaten MP Hampshire and I hope I’ve been able to make a with this new objective. The most pressing Can You Help? item being an envelope stuffing machine that will cost us £4,000. But our most We need to modernise our approach to pressing need is for deliverers. We hope campaigning and literature production. that you can help us win back the City The latest campaigning techniques being Council and retain a Liberal Democrat MP. employed by the Canadian Liberals, The best way to help the party locally is Democrats in the US and refined through with a regular Standing Order for £10, £20 Cowley Street show that to win we must or £30 a month, and you can find a form produce and deliver far larger quantities on this page. Additionally, you can make of targeted mailings. So we are wanting a donation; the information is on the to purchase new equipment to help us Donation slip on this page. Thank you.
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